The Senate’s ruling coalition of Republicans and Independent Democrats is pushing legislation — a version of which was vetoed once before by Gov. David Paterson — that would add small businesses owned by service-connected disabled veterans to the list of those who receive preference on state contracts.

The so-called NY Jobs for Heroes Program is sponsored by Republican Sen. Greg Ball, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and in the Assembly by Democrat Felix Ortiz, who served in the Army.

State lawmakers today pushed the Legislature to pass a bill that would provide state contract preference for service-disabled veterans who own businesses.

The bill, NY Jobs for Heroes Program, would help disabled veterans receive state contracts to open small businesses. The bill would aim to reward at least five percent of state contracting and subcontracting of businesses owned by service-disabled veterans, said Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, Putnam County.

Albany, N.Y. – 01/14/2014 – State Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I – Patterson) joined veterans and colleagues at the New York State Capitol on Tuesday morning to stress the importance of passing the NY Jobs For Heroes Program (S2803B), a concept that was recently supported by Governor Cuomo in his State of the State address.

Albany, N.Y. – 01/12/2014 – Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson) and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today called for tough new legislation to protect our companion animals from being left outside in the freezing cold all day and night like what was occurring in the puppy mill in the town of Sprakers in Montgomery County.

Albany, N.Y. – 01/10/2014 – State Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) will host a press conference on Tuesday morning at 10AM in room 332 of the New York State Capitol Building to stress the importance of passing the NY Jobs For Heroes Program, a concept that was recently supported by Governor Cuomo in his State of the State address.

Albany, N.Y. – 1/08/2014 – Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson), Chairman of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, issuing the following statement regarding the State of the State address.

Putnam Valley, N.Y. – 01/07/2014 – Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson), Chairman of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, presented Patrick O’Grady from Putnam Valley with a New York State Senate Proclamation for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout on Sunday afternoon at the Putnam Valley Firehouse.

Eagle Scout is the highest possible rank in the Boy Scouts of America. The Eagle Scout is an honor that is held for life and is said, “once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”

Brewster, N.Y. – 01/07/2014 – Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) is inviting parents, teachers and concerned residents to attend a Common Core Forum at the Carmel Town Hall of January 16th at 6:00 PM.

Mahopac, N.Y. – 01/06/2014 – Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) joined Shane Spencer, former New York Yankee and 3 time World Series champion, at the ribbon cutting for Iron Horse Sports & Fitness Complex in Mahopac.

The Iron Horse Sports & Fitness Complex is an indoor sports facility geared for all sports. The facility is equipped with 5 batting cages, pitching machines, major league baseball instructors, camps, clinics, private lessons and much more.

CARMEL, N.Y. – State Sen. Greg Ball plans to host a forum on the Common Core Learning Standards at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 at Carmel Town Hall. Parents, teachers and concerned residents from Carmel and the surrounding area are invited to attend.